Economic Development Committee
June 26, 2024

CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 i

MANAGING OUR LAND SUPPLY

Prepared by
City of Rialto
Managing Our
Land Supply
MARCH 2024 DRAFT

Introduction
and Land Use
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MANAGING OUR LAND SUPPLY

INTRODUCTION
The Managing Our Land Supply Chapter combines three elements of the General Plan required by State law, plus community design:
‒ Land Use
‒ Community Design
‒ Open Space
‒ Conservation
These four topics have similar threads and intentions. The focus is on guiding physical changes over the long term, while providing and conserving community and natural resources. The Managing Our Land Supply Chapter:
‒ Describes the building blocks for the community’s land and natural resources policy; ‒ Establishes the City’s preferred land use patterns and intensities; ‒ Guides the visual character of public places and private development; and ‒ Creates the conservation and protection plans for natural resources and open space.

Managing the supply of land, whether through designating land uses, community design, or setting aside open space and conservation areas can make a difference in Rialto. Thoughtful and responsible management of land assets can create a place to admire and appreciate.

The primary role of the Managing Our Land Supply Chapter is to direct the use of the City’s land resources in the most equitable and productive manner possible, with the aim of providing a high quality of life for residents and the overall community.

Land Use
The Land Use section describes the general location, type, and intensity of development, and designates the distribution of land uses throughout Rialto. Land uses such as residential, commercial, industrial, open space, and public uses are planned to meet the needs of residents, support the local economy, achieve the City’s fiscal goals, and create an environment that fosters a high quality of life in Rialto.

This section sets policies for land uses in the City and the Sphere of Influence, establishing the foundation for future development. Also addressed are the permitted density and intensity of various land uses.

Density and intensity are quantitative measures used to describe how much development may occur on a property.

Using maps and text, this Land Use section defines the distribution and intensity of development for residential neighborhoods, commercial and employment districts, industrial space, parks and other CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-2

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open spaces, and governmental and public uses of property in Rialto. ‒ The term density refers to the population and housing units placed upon a property. The Rialto General Plan describes density in terms of the number of dwelling units allowed per acre (du/acre), exclusive of streets and public rights-of-way.
‒ Development intensity addresses the amount of building square footage on a particular parcel or lot. Intensity can be described in many ways, including building height, total floor area, the percent of the lot the building occupies, or floor-area ratio (FAR). The Rialto General Plan uses floor-area ratio to measure non- residential intensity. The FAR defines the ratio of the total gross floor area of all buildings on a lot to the total land area of the lot.

Figure 1. Floor Area Ratio
The Land Use Plan section contains Exhibit 2-1, Land Use Map, which provides a two-dimensional description of the distribution of land uses.

This map prescribes the preferred location and types of permitted uses throughout the planning area. The Land Use Plan section also includes goals and policies to guide the growth of Rialto.

Physical Context for the Land Use Policy
Rialto’s land use patterns are defined by nearly 100 years of historical growth. The historic Downtown and surrounding older neighborhoods, with smaller residential lots and small central business district, provide a walkable urban core. Suburban tract homes from the 1950s and 1960s, away from Downtown, have defined much of the City. Newer residential neighborhoods have filled in and continue to fill in the northern areas.

Commercial uses are focused along Foothill Boulevard (Historic Route 66), Riverside Avenue, Valley Boulevard, and Baseline Road at Riverside Avenue. These corridors and intersections, along with Downtown, constitute the City’s major commercial areas.

Industrial and warehouse facilities are clustered along Rialto’s rail lines, where access to shipping facilities was important through the mid-1900s, particularly for the citrus industry. Other industrial activities have clustered north of SR-210 and south of I-10. Other industrial areas include land adjacent to the Rialto Airport in the north and near SR-210, and I-10 and the Union Pacific railroad line in the south. Many of the industrial businesses take advantage of the City’s location and access to this distribution network.

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Vacant Land and Infill Opportunities
New development pursuant to General Plan policy will focus on infill of vacant and underutilized sites.

Opportunities include:
‒ Vacant land within the Lytle Creek Ranch Specific Plan area. This is the largest undeveloped area within the City of Rialto and is planned for low, medium, and high-density residential uses centered around parks and schools as well as community-serving commercial and mixed-uses. It also includes plans to preserve open space surrounding Lytle Creek
‒ Vacant land surrounding the Rialto Airport (the Renaissance Specific Plan) and the SR-210 freeway that allow a mix of new uses, including residential, commercial, industrial, and open space ‒ Infill and redevelopment potential along Foothill Boulevard, with extensive vacant land located along the western edge of the boulevard and redevelopment opportunities along the eastern end ‒ Pockets of vacant and underutilized land around Downtown that are suitable for higher-density housing and mixed-use development to support commercial uses in Downtown ‒ Additional areas of vacant land and redevelopment potential scattered throughout southern Rialto, particularly along Riverside Avenue and San Bernardino Road, industrial areas along Riverside Avenue south of the I-10 freeway, and along Cedar Avenue within the Sphere of Influence area of Bloomington The General Plan allows for an increase in residential densities on selected vacant and underutilized lands adjacent to appropriate infrastructure, as well as redefinition of some lands previously designated for commercial and/or industrial uses to mixed use. New development should complement established development patterns by ensuring compatibility of uses, provide appropriate buffers to safeguard health and well-being of residents, and be consistent or compatible in design. New development should also reinforce connections between neighborhoods and activity centers, creating an environment that gives people the option of walking, biking, or using transit for day-to-day needs.

Land Use Plan
The community desires to achieve the following through the Land Use Plan:
‒ Establish land use patterns that promote a healthy environment, ‒ Improve established neighborhoods,
‒ Stabilize revenues that allow for consistent delivery of community services, ‒ Promote high quality community-serving commercial uses, and ‒ Foster a sense of community through quality design of the public realm CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-4

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The Land Use Plan guides the development, maintenance, and improvement of land and properties for the next 30 years.

LAND USE DESIGNATIONS
The following land use designations, together with Exhibit 2-1, Land Use Map, represent the planned distribution, density, and intensity of land uses citywide. The colors shown on the map correspond to land use designations that describe the types of uses existing and planned for Rialto.

R2 - Residential 2 (Density: 0-2 du/ac)
‒ Reserve areas for very-low density residential development. ‒ Generally single, detached homes on large lots, with a density of no more than two units per acre.
‒ Limited keeping of livestock, dog kennels, and other animals may be permitted consistent with zoning regulations.
‒ Additional permitted uses, consistent with zoning regulations, include group homes, public facilities, and utility support systems. ‒ Population Density: 0-8 persons per acre.

R6 - Residential 6 (Density: 2.1-6 du/ac)
‒ Allows for residential development at low densities.
‒ Development consisting of detached units in suburban-style subdivisions, with one unit per lot.
‒ Additional permitted uses, consistent with zoning regulations, include group homes, public facilities, and utility support systems. ‒ Population Density: 8-23 persons per acre.

R12 - Residential 12 (Density: 6.1-12 du/ac)
‒ Allows for residential development at moderate densities. ‒ Development may include detached single units on individual lots, low-scale attached units with private and/or shared open space, groups of attached housing with larger common open space areas, and mobile home parks.
‒ Parking for individual units may be attached to and have direct access to interior living spaces.

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‒ The overall net density of new development, inclusive of shared open space, shall not exceed 12 units per acre.
‒ Additional permitted uses, consistent with zoning regulations, include group homes, public facilities, and utility support systems. ‒ Population Density: 23-46 persons per acre.

R21 - Residential 21 (Density: 12.1-21 du/ac)
‒ Allows for residential development at higher densities, with locations typically along major streets and near major activity centers.
‒ Development approaches may include low-scale attached units with private and/or shared open space, and groups of attached housing with larger common open space areas.
‒ Parking for individual units may either be fully enclosed with direct access to the dwelling units or common covered parking areas. ‒ Common usable open space and other recreation amenities must be provided.
‒ The overall density of new development, inclusive of shared open space, shall not exceed 21 units per acre.
‒ Additional permitted uses, consistent with zoning regulations, include group homes, community care facilities, public facilities, and utility support systems.
‒ Population Density: 46-80 persons per acre.

R30 - Residential 30 (Density: 22.1-30 du/ac)
‒ Creates opportunities for higher-density, multi-story residential development with either surface or structured parking.
‒ Locations occur along or near major transportation corridors and within walking distance of commercial centers and transit services. ‒ Amenities shall include common recreation and/or assembly areas suited to the population served.
‒ The overall net density of new development, inclusive of shared open space, shall not exceed 30 units per acre.
‒ Additional permitted uses, consistent with zoning regulations,

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include group homes, community care facilities, public facilities, and utility support systems.
‒ Population Density: 80-114 persons per acre.

O - Office (Intensity: maximum 0.75 FAR)
‒ Provides sites for small- and large-scale professional offices and related uses that accommodate a broad range of low-intensity, service-oriented, and employment-generating uses.
‒ Where located adjacent to residential neighborhoods, office development must be sensitive in scale, site design, and activity level to the neighborhood. This means that it is important to establish landscape buffers between office development and the adjacent neighborhoods; limit or restrict office/business traffic to major streets and not use neighborhood streets; limit building heights at the boundaries to safeguard residential private spaces; etc.
‒ Additional permitted uses, consistent with zoning regulations, include community care facilities, public facilities, and utility support systems.

DMU - Downtown Mixed Use (Intensity: 6.1- 50 du/ac; maximum

1.50 FAR)
‒ The designation applies to Rialto’s historic downtown core. ‒ The designation is established to facilitate development of a complementary mix of retail and service commercial, dining, entertainment, and residential uses within walking distance of each other and the nearby Metrolink station and Civic Center. ‒ Businesses along Riverside Avenue shall be oriented toward the street and facilitate pedestrian access.
‒ Residential uses within the Downtown district may be developed as stand-alone structure or as part of mixed-use development.

However, any mixed-use structures with both commercial and residential uses that front Riverside Avenue must have a ground- floor use that enlivens the environment and invites pedestrian access, such as retail or dining.
‒ The overall net density of new residential development, inclusive

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of shared open space, shall not exceed 50 units per acre. ‒ Population Density: 23-229 persons per acre.
‒ Additional permitted uses, consistent with zoning regulations, include public facilities and utility support systems. Uses specifically prohibited due to their incompatibility with a pedestrian-oriented mixed-use district include vehicle sales and repair, industrial and manufacturing businesses, wholesaling activities, and bars not associated with restaurants.

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Casmalia Street
Slover Avenue
Jurupa Avenue
North Lilac Avenue
Linden Avenue
North Acacia Avenue
North Linden Avenue
North W
illow Avenue
West Randall Avenue
North Sycam
ore Avenue
West Merrill Avenue
Cedar Avenue
Alder Avenue
West Rialto Avenue
North Riverside Avenue
West Etiwanda Avenue
Valley Boulevard
North Pepper Avenue
East Base Line Road
North Eucalyptus Avenue
Glen Helen Parkway
North Cedar Avenue
South W
illow Avenue
West Foothill Boulevard
North Cactus Avenue
North Locust Avenue
East Foothill Boulevard
Ayala Drive
San Bernardino Avenue Bloomington Avenue
Lytle Creek Road
West Casa Grande Drive
Agua Mansa Road
East Merrill Avenue
East Walnut AvenueWest Walnut Avenue
Sierra Lakes Parkway
West Base Line Road
Locust Avenue
Renaissance Parkway
East Highland Avenue
Hall Avenue
Riverside Avenue
West Easton Street
Cactus Avenue
North Palm
etto Avenue
North Spruce Avenue
South Cedar Avenue
South Riverside Avenue
West 1st Street
Bohnert Avenue
North M
eridian Avenue
East Rialto Avenue
Country Club Drive
Cactus Avenue
Alder Avenue
Ayala Drive
Locust Avenue
Locust Avenue
Cactus Avenue
Glen Helen Parkway
Linden Avenue
Cactus Avenue
North Riverside Avenue
North Riverside Avenue
Cedar Avenue
Riverside Avenue
§¨¦
15 §¨¦
15 §¨¦
210
§¨¦
10 §¨¦
210
0 1 2 30.5
Miles
¯
Rialto Incorporated Area
Sphere of Influence
Land Use Designations
Residential 2
Residential 6
Residential 12
Residential 21
Residential 30
Office
Community Commercial
General Commercial
Downtown Mixed-Use
Business Park
Light Industrial
General Industrial
School Facility
Public Facility
Open Space - Recreation
Open Space - Resources
Specific Plan
Overlays
Residential Overlay
Specific Plan Overlay
Sphere of Influence Land Use Categories*
Rural Living
Very Low Density Residential
Low Density Residential
Medium Density Residential
Commercial
Limited Industrial
General Industrial
Public Facility
Resource/Land Management
Open Space
Special Development
* Land uses outside of the Rialto Incorporated Area
are within the Rialto Sphere of Influence.

These land use designations are determined
by the County of San Bernardino and come from
the October 2020 Land Use Map (LU-1).

Land Use MapEXHIBIT 2-1.

LAND USE MAP
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CC - Community Commercial (Intensity: maximum 0.40 FAR) ‒ Provides for a variety of retail, office, and service-oriented business activities that serve the local community, including supermarkets, restaurants, small-scale service, businesses, and specialty retail stores.
‒ Where located adjacent to residential neighborhoods,
Community Commercial development must be sensitive in scale, site design, and activity level to the neighborhood. This means that it is important to establish landscape buffers between the commercial development and the adjacent neighborhoods; limit or restrict office/business traffic to major streets and not use neighborhood streets; limit building heights at the boundaries to safeguard residential private spaces; etc.
‒ Additional permitted uses, consistent with zoning regulations, include public facilities and utility support systems.

GC - General Commercial (Intensity: maximum 0.50 FAR)
‒ Provides opportunities for general retail, commercial services, restaurants, lodging, commercial recreation, professional offices, and medical and financial institutions.
‒ May include large retail centers anchored by one or more major tenants, large stand-alone retail stores, hospitality uses, automobile dealerships, and similar uses which attract and draw from both local and regional markets.
‒ Office development may occur as part of a cohesive mixed-use development project.
‒ Uses specifically prohibited include warehousing, trucking and transportation related, auto repair, heavy manufacturing, and any use involving outdoor storage (except for vehicle sales). ‒ Businesses are oriented toward meeting the needs of local residents and residents in surrounding communities.

BP - Business Park (Intensity: maximum 1.0 FAR)
‒ Allows a mix of commercial, office, research and development, laboratories, and light industrial uses developed in a
complementary manner and displaying high-quality architecture and site design.

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LI - Light Industrial (Intensity: maximum 1.0 FAR)
‒ Allows light industrial activity such as processing, packaging, machinery repair, fabrication, distribution, warehousing and storage, research and development, and similar uses which are low impact.
‒ Uses specifically prohibited include warehousing, trucking and transportation related, heavy manufacturing, and any use involving outdoor activities.
‒ Outdoor storage areas must be screened from view.

GI - General Industrial (Intensity: maximum 1.0 FAR)
‒ Allows for a broad range of heavy industrial activities requiring large areas of land with convenient access for trucks and rail. ‒ These uses are typically not compatible with residential uses in close proximity because the operations may generate noise and traffic impacts and may involve use of hazardous materials. ‒ Permitted uses include manufacturing and processing, warehousing and distribution, chemical or petroleum products processing and refining, heavy equipment operations, and similar uses.

P - Public Facility (Intensity: maximum 1.0 FAR)
‒ Public Facility uses encompass government, civic, cultural, health, and infrastructure uses and activities which contribute to and support the needs of the community.

P - School Facility
‒ School Facility uses encompass public educational facilities such as elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and other school-related facilities which contribute to and support the needs of the community.

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OSRC - Open Space - Recreation
‒ Applies to open space areas set aside for active and passive recreation, including public and private parks of all sizes, sports fields, recreational facilities, plazas, trails, and golf courses.

OSRS - Open Space - Resources
‒ Applies to open space areas necessary for the protection and preservation of unique areas for such purposes as groundwater recharge and flood control, habitat and wildlife corridor enhancement, the managed production of aggregate resources, agricultural heritage, transmission of energy resources, and public safety.
‒ Complementary uses within Open Space – Resources include recreational facilities such as hiking, biking, and equestrian trails and related improvements.
‒ Areas restricted from development to protect health and safety, including flood control channels and fault zones.

SP – Specific Plan
‒ The Specific Plan designation requires the implementation of a specific plan. The specific plan will specify the land use designations and must be consistent with the General Plan. For determination of land use designations, refer to the corresponding specific plan.

LAND USE OVERLAYS
Land Use Overlays establish additional standards beyond the base land use designation.

Historic Agricultural Overlay
‒ The Historic Agricultural Overlay provides for the preservation of historic orchards, tree crops, and other similar historical agricultural enterprises. The destruction of orchards to allow development is strictly prohibited. The purpose of this overlay is to preserve the remaining historic citrus orchard in the City of Rialto.

Animal Overlay
‒ The Animal Overlay allows the keeping of dog kennels on any premises within a residential neighborhood setting. Dog kennel operators must obtain all appropriate dog kennel licenses and meet all required regulations established by Section 6.04.210 of the Rialto Municipal Code. Kennels CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-12

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shall be operated and constructed in a sanitary and proper manner so that such property does not become a nuisance to the neighborhood.

Specific Plan Overlay
‒ The Specific Plan Overlay requires the implementation of a Specific Plan. For determination of land use designations, refer to the corresponding specific plan.

Residential Overlay
‒ The Residential Overlay allows high-density residential development in areas where underlying land use designations would otherwise prevent residential uses at such densities or residential uses altogether. It is intended to increase residential development capacity and implement the Rezone Program of the 6th Cycle Housing Element that was adopted in 2022. ‒ The Residential Overlay allows maximum residential densities of up to 35 and 50 dwelling units per acre on parcels designated Community Commercial, Office, Residential 6, Residential 21, and Specific Plan by this Land Use Element. Residential development projects on these parcels must meet all relevant regulations as detailed in the Municipal Code.

Development Opportunity Areas
Rialto still has potential for tremendous development growth in the City and the Sphere of Influence. This growth, if properly managed, can provide new opportunities through economic activity, new amenities and community facilities, attractive development and commercial centers, and expanded employment growth. Table 2-1 displays the Development Opportunities Areas. Although development opportunities exist throughout the City, the majority of the City’s growth will be focused in the following five areas:
‒ Foothill Boulevard. Foothill Boulevard is one of the most important transit corridors in Rialto and is planned to be an Omnitrans bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor. As such, the area is well suited for high density, walkable communities. The focus of Foothill Boulevard is to revitalize the corridor by introducing pedestrian-friendly development that complements the planned BRT . New development will focus on pedestrian nodes, including pedestrian-oriented commercial, mixed use, and residential uses. See Table 2-1 for the potential build out of Foothill Boulevard area. ‒ Downtown Rialto. Downtown is a focal point for the City that will integrate mixed uses, residential development, bus and Metrolink transit services, a lively “Main Street,” and civic uses to create a dynamic downtown village and a pedestrian-friendly environment. Downtown will re-emerge as a vibrant City center where economic activity, culture, civic identity, transportation options (including a planned Omnitrans BRT route along Riverside Avenue), and distinct urban experiences can thrive and inspire the community. See Table 2-1 for the potential build out of the Downtown Rialto area. ‒ Renaissance Rialto. Renaissance Rialto is designed as an integrated community of various housing types, employment, retail, recreation, services, and schools all connected by a system of open spaces and amenities. Renaissance Rialto offers open spaces, paseos, walkable streets, proximity of uses, CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-13

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and is strategically located near recreational facilities. See Table 2-1 for potential build out of the Renaissance Rialto area.
‒ Lytle Creek Ranch. The Lytle Creek Ranch Specific Plan will include a collection of neighborhoods consisting of high-quality single-unit homes, condominiums, and apartments. Neighborhoods will be designed around schools and neighborhood parks. Some residential areas will be devoted to active adult housing. Commercial mixed-use areas will serve residential areas and be accessible to surrounding local neighborhoods on Riverside Avenue. Natural open spaces will be preserved along Lytle Creek. See Table 2-1 for potential build out of the Lytle Creek Ranch Specific Plan area. ‒ Residential Overlay. The residential overlay adds housing capacity to key areas including. This overlay will allow maximum residential densities of up to 35 in some areas and 50 dwelling units per acre in others, with building heights up to 5-stories or 60-feet.

Table 2-1 Development Opportunity Areas

FOOTHILL

BOULEVARD

SPECIFIC PLAN

DOWNTOWN

RIAL TO

RENAISSANCE

SPECIFIC PLAN

LYTLE CREEK

RANCH SPECIFIC
PLAN
TOTAL
Acres 261 65 1,315 2,178 3,819
Dwelling Units 946 1,248 1,745 8,407 12,346
Population 2,792 3,683 5,297 25,439 37,211
Non-Residential
Square Feet (000s)
366 1,699 15,704 1,029 18,798
Implications of Land Use Policy
Table 2-2 summarizes the dwelling units, population, and level of non- residential development that can be expected from full implementation of land use policies established by this General Plan. Table 2-3 identifies the planned distribution of land uses. Over time, as properties transition from one use to another or property owners rebuild, land uses and intensities will gradually shift to align with the intent of this Chapter.

Table 2-2 Summary Build Out
EXISTING LAND USE GENERAL PLAN (2040) INCREASE (PERCENT

CHANGE)

CITY SOI TOTAL CITY SOI TOTAL CITY SOI TOTAL
Dwelling Units1
27,487 7,446 27,487 35,037 16,485 51,522 27.47% 121% 87% Population2
103,043 17,655 120,698 125,256 55,447 180,703 21.56% 214% 50% Non-Residential
Square Feet3,4 29,155,874 8,274,000 29,155,874 59,954,000 10,942,000 70,897,000 105.63% 32% 143% 1 Source: Urban Footprint (2022)
2 Source: U.S. Census Planning Database (2021)
3 Source: Southern California Council of Governments (2019) 4 Includes all commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and public facility-related land uses CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-14

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Table 2-3 Land Use Build Out

LAND USE

DESIGNATIONS

DWELLING UNITS POPULATION (A)

NON-RESIDENTIAL

BUILDING
SQUARE FEET (000S)

CITY SOI TOTAL CITY SOI TOTAL CITY SOI TOTAL

RESIDENTIAL
Residential 2 128 2,591 2,721 477 9,551 10,027 -- -- -- Residential 6 19,050 6,531 25,582 70,214 24,070 94,284 -- -- -- Residential 12 2,668 596 3,263 9,833 2,195 12,028 -- -- -- Residential 21 6,113 -- 6,113 22,529 -- 22,529 -- -- -- Residential 30 1,499 -- 1,499 5,526 -- 5,523 -- -- --

COMMERCIAL
Office -- -- -- -- -- -- 451 -- 451
Community
Commercial
-- -- -- -- -- -- 1,395 33 1,428
General Commercial -- -- -- -- -- -- 2,364 1,608 3,972

MIXED USE (B)
Downtown Mixed Use 1,248 -- 1,248 3,683 -- 3,683 1,699 -- 1,699

INDUSTRIAL
Business Park -- -- -- -- -- -- 7,537 -- 7,537
Light industrial -- -- -- -- -- -- 13,054 4,737 17,791
General Industrial -- -- -- -- -- -- 17,181 3,736 20,917

PUBLIC FACILITIES (C)
Public Facility -- -- -- -- -- -- (477) (71) (548)
School Facility -- -- -- -- -- -- (364) (77) (441)

OPEN SPACE (C)
Open Space Recreation -- -- -- -- -- -- (256) (28) (283) Open Space Resources -- -- -- -- -- -- (222) (1,485) (1,707)

SPECIFIC PLANS (D)
Specific Plans (e) (see
Table 2-1)
4,330 6,768 11,098 12,997 19,631 32,628 16,273 828 17,102 a. Population projections are based on an average household size of 3.868 persons per household and a vacancy rate of 5.32%, based on 2008 data from the California Department of Finance, Demographic Unit. b. Mixed Use Development allows both residential and commercial development. c. Numbers in parentheses (477) denote acres and not building square footage. d. Specific Plans build out numbers include the following: Lytle Creek, Renaissance, and Foothill Boulevard Specific Plans. e. See Table 2-1 for acres, dwelling units, population, and non-residential building square footage for the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan, Renaissance Specific Plan, and Lytle Creek Specific Plan. f. Does not include acres from the Public Facilities and Open Space land use categories.

Community Design
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COMMUNITY DESIGN
The Community Design section, in conjunction with the Land Use section works to create guidelines for the physical characteristics of the built environment, the scale of buildings, their relationship to one another, architectural details, neighborhood appearance, and streetscapes. Together, community design and land use create unique, community-oriented places throughout Rialto.

Community Design Context
The foundation of Rialto’s physical environment is derived from its historical beginnings. The compact Downtown served by the railroads and the vast citrus groves that covered the area have shaped the City’s suburban form and continue to influence design and development. Today’s Downtown celebrates the citrus industry, and the grid street pattern reflects the historical ownership patterns. The design and character of some of the buildings along Foothill Boulevard create a feel reminiscent of historic Route 66.

However, many commercial strip and commercial centers
lack character and identity. Creating a sense of “place” is a key objective for Rialto, both to inspire property investment and maintenance, and to distinguish Rialto from its Inland Empire neighbors.

Creating a Sense of Place for Rialto
A sense of place means that the community’s values and culture are projected upon the built environment. Identifying those qualities and encouraging the enhancement and embellishment of the public realm are critical to the success of Rialto. Public realm design elements – which are entirely within the City’s authority to design, implement, and maintain – foster a sense of authentic human attachment and belonging.

This approach will foster tighter partnerships between private development and the City, which adds value to both the public and the private realms. Over time, the improved quality of the streetscapes will encourage additional investment. The emphasis will be on improved streetscapes and corridors, clearly defined districts, gateway elements that let you know that you have arrived, and other design treatments.

Rialto will set standards for development and construction. Those standards must respond to community values of architectural integrity and distinctiveness. Foremost, the City will promote the construction and preservation of buildings which will prove to be assets to the community over time.

Public art and orange trees signify the entry
into Downtown Rialto
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Public Realm - Gateways, Corridors, and Districts
The public realm includes properties, right-of-ways, and larger areas that the City owns and controls and can enhance through urban design strategies.

DISTRICTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS
Districts and neighborhoods are areas that have conforming design themes and strategies that are consistent throughout the area. Each district and neighborhood has its own character in terms of development patterns, streetscape design, building scale and mass, and periods of history. Residents celebrate the uniqueness of their own neighborhoods and respect the desire of others to maintain the qualities that distinguish their surroundings. Examples of districts include the Gateway District, Downtown, and Renaissance (see Exhibit 2.4). Within those districts regulated by a Specific Plan, the design criteria will be defined by that planning document. Outside of the Specific Plan areas are many other residential neighborhoods where a design consistency exists due to the historic nature of the development. The City should strive towards preserving the fabric and consistency of neighborhoods by requiring that new construction or renovations to structures within defined neighborhoods are sensitive to existing design, use of materials, scale, and form. The integrity of a neighborhood’s aesthetics should also be preserved by the proper enforcement of codes relating to proper maintenance of properties, as well as the continual efforts of suppressing graffiti and other types of vandalism.

Wherever feasible, neighborhoods should be walkable and pedestrian friendly. This means that neighborhoods should be compact and easily walkable from end to end. Parks and schools should be within easy walking distance from homes. Those who do not have access to other modes of transportation (mainly the elderly and children) should have the ability to reach key destinations and daily activities within walking distance. Neighborhoods that are adjacent to defined districts such as those that surround the Renaissance District along Baseline Road (see Exhibit 2.4) should provide linkages in the forms of paths and walkways that allow for residents in neighborhoods to have multiple options for greater accessibility.

CITY GATEWAYS
Gateways signify a transition from one area to another. The goal of gateways are to enhance Rialto’s "front doors" by not only constructing improvements in the areas seen by the most people, but by doing so in a way that provides a unique identity along the City’s prominent entrances. Gateways include design features such as signage, landscaping, and other elements to create a distinct aesthetic tone.

In addition, gateway features help to slow traffic at these key locations, functioning as traffic-calming devices. Gateways at many residential neighborhoods have historically been important design features in Rialto that provide identity and distinguish the City from surrounding areas. Those gateways should be retained and enhanced, and new gateways should be considered for new major development projects.

Two types of gateways are established in Rialto: Major Gateways and Minor Gateways. Major Gateways are larger entryways typically located on major streets near freeway on- and off-ramps that identify entry CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-18

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into the City. Minor Gateways are smaller entryways on streets that cross City boundaries or identify smaller districts, including residential neighborhoods (see Exhibit 2.4).

PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY
Pedestrian friendly design is when a development, street, or neighborhood is designed to the scale of pedestrians, improves mobility, and enhances the overall pedestrian experience. A focus on pedestrian friendliness helps with a variety of issues that face a city: it can stimulate the vitality of commercial districts by generating foot traffic along store fronts; it creates additional means of access to service; it improves the quality of life for those without access to motorized vehicles; it can be conducive to healthier lifestyles and exercise; and it may help foster a sense of community and social connection in residential neighborhoods by improving the interaction and chance encounters of neighbors. To enhance pedestrian friendliness, commercial developments and neighborhoods should be compact and include a network of paths and walkways that connect people to key destinations. As described in the districts and neighborhoods section above- activities, schools, and amenities such as parks, should be within walking distance to everyone, especially those who have limited transportation options such as the elderly and children.

Left: Street furniture such as trash receptacles, street lamps, and planters are oriented toward the pedestrian and provide comfort and safety. Center:

Trees and landscaping along the sidewalks of a residential neighborhood provide shade and a pleasant natural element for a walk. Right: Street signs, benches, and sidewalk seating create a vibrant public realm that elevates the pedestrian experience.

The physical design of projects should also cater to the pedestrian. Commercial buildings should be on the scale of pedestrians, with windows and store fronts facing sidewalks avoiding long expanses of blank walls. Intersections and crossings should be well-marked and pedestrian scaled, ensuring the safety of pedestrians amongst motor vehicles and to avoid intimidating pedestrians from crossing a street. Both commercial and residential developments should integrate pedestrian amenities such as benches, street-lighting, and attractive and functional landscaping. Amenities such as trees along sidewalks can provide shade and comfort in warm and sunny weather, as well as adds to the walking experience.

Decorative street lighting can help improve the aesthetics of a development as well as provides safety and visibility for pedestrians during the night time.

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SIGNAGE
Signage includes all the signs that we see around the community- free standing commercial signs that advertise a shopping center, signs affixed to the facades of buildings, and public signs such as directional signs or gateway signs. Although these signs serve a very important function for aiding businesses and providing information, the uncontrolled use of signage can lead to signs that dominate the landscape, distract the public, and negatively affect the aesthetics of the community. To avoid such issues, the City will ensure that equal attention and focus is paid to the design and placement of signage that accompanies developments. Signs should complement the quality and design of the developments they intend to serve by utilizing the same architectural style, similar color palette, and matching materials.

Poor sign construction and haphazard placement of signs should be avoided. To maintain the integrity of developments, the City should monitor and ensure that signs are properly maintained, and that inoperable or unused/outdated signs are removed.

CORRIDORS/STREETSCAPES
Corridors improve the visual quality of the community’s major streets with abundant landscaping and trees. These corridors should have generous medians and/or parkways that support extensive landscaping and street trees. They should also accommodate distinctive gateways at the City’s boundaries. Buildings along these corridors should also complement the streetscape and provide an atmosphere that accommodates both pedestrians and automobiles. Special consideration should be given to street furniture and pedestrian friendly lighting.

Corridors should include continuous sidewalks with wide parkways that establish pedestrian connections from the residential neighborhoods to commercial districts, parks, job centers, and other activity areas. Street trees should be of appropriate height and stature for the scale and function of the street. Corridors and streetscapes are important for Rialto because they help promote the City’s commitment to improve public spaces and corridors such as Riverside Avenue, Base Line Road, and Foothill Boulevard. Exhibit 2.4 identifies key corridors in Rialto.

Streetscapes refer to the views we see of, and along, the streets. Streetscapes encompass virtually everything along the street- the street itself, the landscaping on public right-of-ways, sidewalks, street furniture on the sidewalks, and even the buildings that face the streets. When residents and visitors alike travel through the City, it is the view of streetscape that can immediately impact a person’s perception

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EXHIBIT 2.4 - COMMUNITY DESIGN
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and image of the City. Streets that are unkempt may evoke a sense of negativity towards that area that may be unfair. To address this issue, the City should take great care to design streetscapes in a manner that enhances the experience of those who travel through the City. Enhancements should take the form of screening any visual blight from the public right-of-way, and providing well designed and well- maintained landscaping along corridors.

PUBLIC ART
Public art enhances the aesthetic and cultural quality of the community, provides opportunities for public exposure to the visual arts, acknowledges our local artistic community, and inspires pride. Public art is an opportunity for creating a connection between the public and the unique history of the City. The City will establish policies or ordinances that encourage Public Art as part of private and public projects.

Public art can come in multiple forms such as sculptures, murals, mosaics, classic statues, etc. and can serve to reflect upon Rialto’s history, inspire creativity and thought, and provide a forum for local artists to share their work.

SCENIC VISTAS
Scenic vistas are the picturesque views that are visible from certain parts of the City. In Rialto, the views of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains and the foothills provide the perfect backdrop for creating scenic vistas throughout the City. Protecting natural landforms views help develop a “sense of place.” In a sense, these scenic vistas signify to the person that they are in a special place, and the view they are experiencing is unique to that moment and to that location alone. In order to protect scenic vistas, the City should take great care in ensuring that building heights and scale of projects do not hinder or impede scenic view. In addition, building materials in such locations should also be carefully selected as to not produce glare or other distracting occurrences.

Private Realm – Architecture, Landscaping, and Quality
Development
The private realm consists of those portions of private properties that are readily accessible and visible from public streets, and that thereby contribute to the community aesthetic.

ARCHITECTURE
Architectural style gives each building a distinct character and feel. A building, development, or

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neighborhood can be designed in a variety of diverse architectural styles that are prominent throughout Southern California. Cohesiveness in a development and/or neighborhood can be achieved by the use of consistent architectural themes that are applied throughout. New development and renovations should pay respect to site context and the predominant existing style as to maintain visual harmony.

Examples of Architectural Styles:

The Craftsman style emerged in California in the early 20th century and is characterized by the use low roof lines, wide welcoming porches, and use of rustic materials such as stone and exposed wood beams. Organic and natural colors are dominant.

The California Mediterranean/Spanish style, popular throughout Southern California, borrows elements from architecture found in Mediterranean countries such as Italy and Spain. Popular elements include the use of low-pitched tiled roofs, and arches and the incorporation of materials such as stone and stucco.

Form, or the physical design of the building, can be manipulated to produce buildings that are visually pleasing, are stimulating and show that property owners have confidence and pride in their investments.

Visual interest and diversity can be achieved through the use of varying heights, mass, density, and fenestration (placement of windows) of buildings so as to not have the same building design repeated.

Developments should utilize high-quality materials that are durable and properly reflect the chosen style of architecture. As with style, new buildings and renovations should continue to be compatible with the form of adjacent buildings.

The architecture of the developments should incorporate sustainable design practices that produce buildings that are environmentally friendly. The placement and orientation of buildings should fully analyze the amount of light and heat that penetrates the interior as to find the ideal configuration for natural climate control. Maximizing natural climate control of the building can result in lowered energy use for heating, cooling, and lighting. Design should incorporate building materials that are environmentally sound (recyclable, quickly regenerates, and produced with limited impacts to the environment) and should incorporate any latest widely-available technologies that help reduce the impact of the building on the environment without inflating design costs.

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Left: A multi-unit development can incorporate a façade with varied colors, materials and depth; giving the feel of a series of smaller “connected” developments.

Below: A multi-unit building shares a similar architectural style with other units and includes private, ground-level entries that reinforce street frontages.

Architecture in both residential and commercial developments plays an important role in providing the desired quality, feel, and experience that Rialto is seeking. Architecture used properly in residential developments can help create neighborhood identity; build community cohesiveness; and can create a desirable, dynamic, and attractive place to live.

With multi-unit development, the City can request architects to utilize creative techniques such as articulating the façade of a larger structure through varying color, depth, and heights to present the illusion of multiple smaller developments that are connected as opposed to one large intimidating structure. In creating multi-unit developments that seem more compact than they are, architects can blend a variety of densities within a neighborhood to provide a variety of housing units available, yet maintaining a quaint, small-town feel.

Creating interesting residential blocks by varying setbacks, encouraging diverse forms in a unified architectural style, attractive landscaping, and encouraging the use of high-quality materials can boost curb appeal to potential residents and improve the desirability of a neighborhood. Commercial architecture should adapt similar design principles as described above to help create commercial and CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-24

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industrial developments that are attractive, well designed, people oriented, and are environmentally sustainable.

Quality architecture that draws on Rialto’s history and culture can help create a focal point and sense of place.

LANDSCAPING
Landscaping within commercial areas and parking lots can soften the character of otherwise bland, asphalt-dominated environments. The City will require all new nonresidential development to incorporate well-designed landscaping that is diverse, colorful, and sustainable. This will make these areas attractive and consistent with the overall landscaped character of Rialto. New development shall use drought-resistant vegetation and smart-water systems as sustainable methods for reducing water use. Shrubs and trees should be used along major roadways to protect surrounding residential neighborhoods from noise and pollution. Street trees offer many benefits: they provide shade and cooling effects, create beautiful canopies, and soften the hard edges of urban development. The City will continue with strong street tree programs.

Parking lots that incorporate vegetation and trees appear more natural, are more appealing, and have the added benefit of providing a permeable surface for absorption of water runoff.

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The mass of asphalt in parking lots shall be broken up with trees and landscaping, providing a more natural feel and aesthetic. The provision of landscaping and permeable soils will also assist with drainage of water that would otherwise collect on non-permeable asphalt surfaces. Parking lots should also incorporate design techniques such as textured paving along pedestrian paths to provide a safe path of travel from a parking space to an entrance as well as provide visual diversity in the parking lot.

Planned Development
A planned development is a large-scale building development that is carefully designed, planned, and unified in its entirety and is usually all contained within one development or subdivision. Planned developments within Rialto should be of the highest quality and reflect all the principles described above. In order to create a desired small town feel, planned developments should incorporate housing design features such as patios that face the street, and zero lot lines, as to blend public and private space, and create moments of spontaneous social interaction. A wide rage of housing types should be incorporated to create a diversity in scale and sizes. Visibility of, and orientation towards the sidewalks and streets also provides the added benefits of increased safety for pedestrians and discouragement of graffiti and vandalism. Houses in planned developments should also be clustered and include access to a large shared common space surrounding the house as well as a smaller private yard, as to provide a wider amount of amenities to a larger population.

Sidewalks, trails, and bicycle paths of planned developments should supplement and complement street systems in establishing the character of the neighborhood. Sidewalks should be located on at least one side of every street to enable the walkability of planned developments. The network of sidewalks, trails, and bicycle paths should be link residential areas to open space areas, schools, and local shopping areas. Landscaping and greenbelts should be used effectively as buffers to provide a safety buffer between incompatible land uses.

Small-town Character and Neighborhood Preservation
Rialto started as small town and grew to become a city with many distinct residential neighborhoods.

General Plan policy looks to preserve the small-town roots of Rialto by protecting the important qualities of the residential neighborhoods that make up the City. Those qualities include safe neighborhoods, a tree canopy, well-maintained yards, and amenities such as sidewalks and street lighting. To maintain this small town atmosphere, new development shall be concentrated in defined districts and corridors, while interior residential neighborhoods are maintained and enhanced.

Neighborhoods with features such as well-maintained landscaping, street trees, and street lights contribute to the quaint, small- town character that Rialto seeks to preserve.

Open Space
and Recreation
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OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION
Open space can be broadly defined as land that is not developed with buildings or is developed with limited improvements complementary to their intended use, such as parks. Open space can be found in a variety of forms throughout the City. The City’s attractive landscaped medians along Riverside Drive, for example, are considered open space just as much as are the City’s parks.

The Open Space and Recreation component of this General Plan outlines strategies to preserve the special open space areas in Rialto and to meet the community’s recreational and conservation needs.

Open space serves many functions in Rialto:
‒ Public parks and private recreation areas allow residents to engage in healthful exercise and build relationships with neighbors.
‒ Open space areas along Lytle Creek help protect against flooding. ‒ In conservation areas, open spaces provide habitat for wildlife and plant species. ‒ Landscaped areas between buildings and the street represent private open spaces that provide greenery and visual enhancement.
‒ All open spaces enhance the beauty and character of Rialto.

Parks in Rialto
The Rialto park system consists of neighborhood parks, community parks, and mini-parks of varying sizes to meet the needs of residents.

Mini-Park/Pocket Park: A mini-park (sometimes referred to as a pocket park) serves the immediate neighborhood and typically occupies infill parcels. Mini-parks generally are no larger than one acre, address limited recreation needs, and offer only a few amenities such as benches and/or play equipment.

Neighborhood Park: These parks are the basic unit of the City’s park system. Neighborhood parks range in size from one to ten acres and generally accommodate spaces for informal activities and active recreation. These can include picnic areas and playing fields.

Rialto City Park
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Community Park: Community parks serve a broader purpose than neighborhood parks, and meet recreation needs for more formal and highly programmed activities. Frisbie, Jerry Eaves, and Rialto City Park are classified as Community Parks and can include recreational facilities, community pools, and other amenities.

School Open Space: School open space areas include recreational facilities on school property. They may include open fields, playgrounds, tennis courts, asphalt play areas (e.g., basket ball courts and hand ball courts), and other recreational amenities. These facilities, as a general rule, are open to the public during non-school hours. These facilities are included in the inventory due to joint-use agreements between the City and the Rialto Unified School District.

Exhibit 2.5 displays open space and recreational resources in Rialto and areas with potential to supplement active and passive open space resources within the planning area. Table 2-4 identifies the location and amenities for each park.

Regional Park: Regional parks meet the recreational needs of a regional population and usually include a wide variety of active and passive recreation amenities. Active amenities include sports fields, community centers, etc. Passive amenities include trails and pathways. Regional parks are operated and maintained by the San Bernardino County Regional Parks Department.

There are no regional parks in Rialto. However, the Glen Helen Regional Park is located adjacent to Rialto’s Sphere of Influence in the Devore area of San Bernardino County.

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EXHIBIT 2.5 - PARKS AND OPEN SPACE RESOURCES
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Table 2-4 Park and Recreational Facilities
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Table 2-4 Park and Recreational Facilities
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Park Needs
The City has a moderate shortage of parks space to serve its population. As a rule of thumb, many cities throughout California use three to five acres of parkland per 1,000 residents as a benchmark for sufficient park space. The Rialto City Council has adopted a standard of three acres per 1,000 residents and uses this ratio for park dedication/fees requirements.

Table 2-5 identifies the park acreage, population, and the ratio of park acres per 1,000 residents, as documented in 2008 and projected for 2040. It also distinguishes between the park acreage and City parks and the Rialto Unified School District open space areas.

Table 2-5 Park Needs
Source: City of Rialto Parks Master Plan and City of Rialto Recreation and Community Services Department Notes: (a) Does not include planned parks from Lytle Creek or Renaissance Specific Plans. (b) General Plan 2040 Build Out Population.

As shown in Table 2-5, the City does not meet the ratio of three acres per 1,000 residents if only City- owned parks are considered. However, the City mitigates this deficit through joint-use agreements with the Rialto Unified School District, particularly within the eastern area of the City. Local public elementary, middle, and high schools provide additional open space totaling nearly 172 acres.

This joint-use partnership has an indeterminable timeline of availability because of concerns regarding impacted and expanding campuses, vandalism, and wear and tear on school grounds, with associated maintenance and liability issues. Also, to meet new student growth, open field areas may be occupied by portable classrooms or permanent school expansion to meet future needs, thereby limiting recreational acreages.

The City also mitigates for deficiencies in parkland acreage through capital-intensive community facilities located throughout the City, such as a community center, an indoor swimming pool, a racquet and fitness center, a senior center, and a community theatre.

Because Rialto is largely built out, limited opportunities are available to develop new parks or similar open spaces. Thus, the City’s efforts are focused on making improvements to established parks that enhance safety, maintenance efficiency, aesthetics, and conservation; completing programming and construction on undeveloped portions of established parks, and developing additional acres of planned parks and open spaces within Specific Plan areas.

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Locational Park Needs
Providing sufficient parkland means more than setting aside an adequate number of acres. Equally important in parks planning is locating parks to provide ready access for all residents. When taking into account park location, service area standards recommended by the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) indicate that a park typically should cover a one-quarter to one-half-mile service area radius, depending on the size of the park. In general, most residential sections of the City are within one- half mile of a park facility, with the exception of some neighborhoods along the western boundary and some portions of Bloomington. Exhibit 2-5 shows the service area of City parkland, school open space land, and Bloomington parkland.

Open Space for the Preservation of Natural Resources
Lytle Creek Wash provides an environment for plant and animal species, as well as water resources for the City. The majority of biological resources in Rialto are associated with Lytle Creek Wash, as discussed in the Conservation section. Water from Lytle Creek is treated before it is put into the local water system.

Because Rialto’s primary sources for water are local groundwater and surface water, maintaining clean and sufficient water in Lytle Creek is an important goal.

Open Space for the Managed Production of Resources
Certain open space areas remain critical for the managed production of resources, including mineral resources and groundwater resources. By protecting these areas from urban encroachment, the City can help ensure that critical resources are used responsibly and managed for use by future generations.

Rialto’s location at the edge of an alluvial fan that extends from the base of the San Gabriel Mountains creates opportunities for aggregate mining. In addition, there are two significant aggregate mining operations that have long existed within Lytle Creek and north of SR-210, along Alder Avenue. These areas have been designated to remain as Open Space to protect these resources as long as mining activity is feasible. Once mining activity is completed, careful planning will be required, and should include provision of appropriate open space and recreation facilities to meet evolving community needs.

The Mineral Resources section of this Chapter highlights the issues and opportunities that come with aggregate mining.

A remnant orange grove located on Cactus Avenue and Carter Street serves as a reminder of Rialto’s heritage and produces a local source of citrus. Because the property owner has made a commitment to preserve the grove as a heritage grove, the Land Use map designates the property as Open Space – Resources and applies the Historic Agriculture Overlay, ensuring its conservation and protection.

The Cactus Basins, operated by the San Bernardino County Flood Control District, serve the dual purpose of:
‒ Providing flood protection, and
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‒ Serving as percolation grounds where storm water can be captured and used to replenish the groundwater supply.

Given that Rialto’s potable water source has been compromised and restricted for use by perchlorate contamination in some groundwater wells, the basin has become even more critical to meet the City’s water needs for the future. However, low-intensity, passive recreation and landscaping around the basin’s perimeter are encouraged to increase active recreation space.

Open Space for Public Health and Safety
Open space for public health and safety refers to lands restricted from development via easements, dedication, or other regulatory controls due to hazardous conditions or important flood control functions. For example, drainage channels and detention basins protect people and property from flood hazards. Open space buffers along fault zones or on otherwise geologically unstable lands prevent development from occurring in these potentially unsafe areas.

Conservation
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Expected effects of global climate change may include increased potential for wildfires, flooding, and drought. The Safety and Noise section identifies areas where these conditions occur.

Conservation
The establishment of Rialto can be traced to the area’s abundance of natural resources, including water sources from Lytle Creek and the Santa Ana River, the mineral resources of the alluvial plains of both the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains, and climate and soil resources that were supportive of a wide range of agriculture activities beneficial to Rialto’s founders.

This Conservation section addresses the conservation, protection, development, utilization, and reclamation of Rialto’s natural resources. Local natural resources include wildlife and plant communities and their habitat, air, water, energy sources, and minerals. As these of natural resources are largely non- renewable, with the exception of possible wind energy resources, today’s community has an obligation to conserve and manage them. General Plan policies aim to protect the quality of natural resources and make them available to future generations.

Water Resources
Nearly all of Rialto’s water sources come from local surface water and groundwater supplies. Nearly two- thirds of the City’s potable water comes from the groundwater basins directly beneath Rialto. Water is pumped from many wells that tap into the Lytle, Rialto, Bunkerhill, and North Riverside aquifers. Surface water is available from treated water coming from Lytle Creek in the San Bernardino Mountains and Lake Silverwood, a California State Water Project facility. Open space areas along Cajon Wash, Lytle Creek Wash, and the Santa Ana River allow for recharge of the groundwater basins.

With Rialto relying largely on local water sources, improving the long-term management and sustainability of these sources is critical. Water resources are discussed in greater detail in the Investing in Our Future Element.

Sustainable Building Practices and Energy Conservation
Although sources of energy, unlike water, come from locations far removed from Rialto, energy conservation must be locally based. Rialto residents and the business community should employ simple conservation techniques to reduce energy use and minimize depletion of energy resources.

AB 32, codified as The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, was adopted by the California Legislature in 2006 to require the State to adopt regulations that require the reporting and verification of statewide greenhouse gas emissions and to monitor and enforce compliance with this program. The bill requires the State to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions to levels equivalent to those in 1990 by 2020.

The State has long been a leader on energy conservation and environmental stewardship efforts, and AB 32 continues this tradition by providing direction to local governments on how to reduce the levels of greenhouse gas emissions. AB 32 initiatives address ways all Californians can contribute to reducing the CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-37

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adverse consequences of climate change. Programs put in place toward this objective will result in more sustainable building practices. Sustainable building practices include:
‒ Designing, constructing, and operating buildings and landscapes to incorporate energy efficiency features and techniques
‒ Water conservation
‒ Waste minimization
‒ Pollution prevention
‒ Resource-efficient materials
Mineral Resources
The California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (SMARA) requires that all cites address significant aggregate resources, classified by the State Geologist and designated by the State Mining and Geology Board, in their General Plans. SMARA was enacted to promote conservation and protection of significant mineral deposits. Therefore, the Rialto General Plan establishes protection of these resources through the use of special land use designations.

The law provides for significant aggregate resources to be recognized and considered before land use decisions are made that may compromise the availability of these resources. The State Geologist classifies lands in California based on geological factors, without regard to existing land use and land ownership. Because available aggregate construction material is limited, three designations have been established for the classification of sand, gravel, and crushed rock resources:
‒ MRZ-1 Mineral Resource Zone: No significant mineral deposits are present or likely to be present. ‒ MRZ-2 Mineral Resource Zone: Significant mineral deposits are present or there is a high likelihood for their presence.
‒ MRZ-3 Mineral Resource Zone: The significance of mineral deposits cannot be determined.

These mineral resource designations are intended to prevent incompatible land use development in areas determined to have significant mineral resource deposits. Permitted uses within a designated area of regional significance include mining, uses that support mining such as smelting and storage of materials, or uses that will not hinder future mining, such as grazing, agriculture, and low-intensity recreation.

Exhibits 2.6 and 2.7 identify designated aggregate sector areas and mineral resource zones and sectors within the Rialto planning area.

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EXHIBIT 2.6 - AGGREGATE RESOURCES
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EXHIBIT 2.7 - MINERAL RESOURCE ZONES
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Sand and gravel operations in Rialto.

Recycling
With several landfills located in Rialto, the importance of recycling waste materials is readily apparent.

Landfills occupy substantial land area and limit the types of uses that can be established in their vicinity. Associated impacts include truck traffic, noise, and sometimes odors. By recycling waste materials, Rialto residents and businesses can help minimize the waste stream entering landfills and reduce efforts required (energy, resource consumption) to produce new goods and products. The City manages local trash collection and recycling programs through contracts with private service providers.

Waste Management staff also conducts presentations to school groups, youth groups, service clubs, and businesses on such topics as recycling, waste reduction, composting/gardening, and household hazardous waste management.

The City sponsors free dump days to assist residents in disposing/recycling of special wastes or bulky items. The City also provides information and assistance for the disposal of hazardous waste and electronics. These programs all aim toward the goals of reduced waste production and safe, responsible disposal of household hazardous materials.

Air Quality and Climate
Rialto sits at the base of the Cajon Pass, where high winds are common meteorological events within the region. Consequently, on windy days, air quality in Rialto can be good, but on days where there is no wind, the quality of air can be unhealthful to sensitive people like young children, the elderly, and people with diminished lung capacity. This has been a characteristic of the air quality in the San Bernardino Valley region for decades.

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Rialto is home to several logistics and warehousing uses that have heavy trucking operations. However, Rialto’s local air quality conditions result largely from sources outside the immediate area, as prevailing westerly breezes push air pollution from the valleys up against the mountains. Rialto benefits from being located at the mouth of the Cajon Pass as clean, cool air drains into Rialto each evening from the top of the pass.

SOUTH COAST AIR BASIN
Rialto lies within the South Coast Air Basin, a geographic area that extends from the Pacific Ocean to the San Gabriel Mountains, and from the Ventura County boundary east to the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains. The air basin is a “non-attainment” area for Federal and State air quality standards for ozone and State standards for particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10). The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) regulates air quality improvement programs within the basin, and works to improve regional air quality to achieve Federal and State standards. Rialto has continued to work with the SCAQMD and in accordance with the applicable Air Quality Management Plan to improve local and regional air quality.

SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION
Sources of air pollution include but are not limited to:
‒ Motor vehicles, which represent the major source of regional emissions throughout the basin and within Rialto
‒ Land use patterns which inefficiently distribute housing densities, employment centers, and mass transit facilities, leading to significant automobile usage ‒ Vehicles idling in heavy traffic congestion, such as those crawling along the freeways during peak hours of the day, which contribute to significant exhaust ‒ Common sources of fine particulate matter, or PM10, including road dust, construction activity, grading, and fireplaces
‒ Other sources of air pollution such as auto repair businesses, dry cleaners, and businesses that regularly use chemical solvents

ATMOSPHERE AND CLIMATE
The scientific consensus is that global climate change is an increasingly acknowledged environmental problem and that it is caused as greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere faster than the Earth’s natural systems can re-absorb them. Global climate change is likely to be one of the largest problems this generation faces.

In response to these concerns, California enacted legislation in 2006 and 2008 that requires jurisdictions to comprehensively address how long-range plans will begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help achieve statewide air quality goals. AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, established CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-42

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a comprehensive program of regulatory and market mechanisms to achieve real, quantifiable, cost- effective reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. The law aims to reduce carbon emissions in California to 1990 levels by 2020.

SB 375, Redesigning Communities to Reduce Greenhouse Gases, passed into law in 2008, is implementing legislation for AB 32. This legislation endeavors to control greenhouse gas emissions by curbing sprawl (the unplanned, uncontrolled spread of urban development). The legislation encourages compact development patterns that reduce the need to drive, thereby reducing air pollution from car exhaust, conserving water, and protecting habitat, among other benefits. To achieve these goals, this law is designed to align regional land use, housing, and transportation plans with greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Without a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, global changes affecting Rialto in the future could include:
‒ More frequent heat waves
‒ More extreme weather events
‒ More frequent and increased severity droughts
‒ Increased potential for tropical insect-borne diseases Rialto recognizes the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to preserve a high quality of life for generations to come. Many actions undertaken by the City directly or indirectly improve air quality.

These actions include:
‒ Revitalizing Downtown Rialto. Downtown is considered a focal point for the City that will integrate mixed uses, residential development, bus and Metrolink transit services, and civic uses to create a dynamic downtown village within a pedestrian-friendly environment. Future downtown residents can walk to Riverside Avenue to get a bite to eat, board a Metrolink train to travel to destinations throughout Southern California, or walk to the public library. One of the goals of revitalizing downtown is to create a pedestrian environment where walking and public transit will help reduce automobile use, both locally and in the region. See Goal 2-5 and Policies 2-5.1 to 2-5.9. ‒ Enhancing Foothill Boulevard. The Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan aims at capitalizing on bus rapid transit (BRT) with new development that will focus on pedestrian nodes, including pedestrian-oriented commercial, commercial and residential mixed use, and residential uses. These developments will be strategically located on the boulevard and take advantage of potential BRT transit stops. These land use and transit strategies will decrease vehicle miles traveled and increase pedestrian activity along this corridor, thus reducing automobile emissions. See Goal 2-4 and Policies 2-4.1 to 2-4.4.
‒ Focusing on Alternative Transportation. This General Plan encourages and supports fixed-route transit, BRT , regular bus service, a comprehensive bicycle network, and walking. These approaches can help CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-43

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reduce vehicle miles traveled and reduce automobile emissions. See goals and policies in Making the Connections: the Circulation Chapter.

Considering air quality issues in the decision-making process will provide for new development to result in limited emission levels.

Transportation and energy production are among the leading activities associated with greenhouse gas emissions. As such, understanding how long-range planning decisions and daily activities impact local air quality can better inform decisions. As SB 375 recognizes, air quality issues are intricately related to policies in the Managing Our Land Supply and Making the Connections chapters that reduce use of and dependence on automobiles. Implementation of sustainability policies throughout this General Plan will help minimize the City’s contribution to global climate change.

Biological Resources
Although Rialto is mostly developed, some areas remain that have not been substantially disturbed. The majority of local biological resources are associated with Lytle Creek Wash, which occupies the northern edge of the City. Smaller pockets of open spaces exist east of the former Rialto Municipal Airport and south of 7th Street.

Biological resources in the Lytle Creek Wash area.

Lytle Creek Wash provides a unique and valuable habitat for a diverse collection of plants and animals within the following plant communities: Riversidian sage scrub, Riversidian alluvial fan sage scrub, riparian habitat, and ruderal1. Lytle Creek Wash does not connect regions of open space and therefore 1 A ruderal species is a plant species that is first to colonise disturbed lands. The disturbance may be natural (e.g., wildfires or avalanches), or due to human influence - constructional (e.g., road construction, building construction or mining), or agricultural (e.g., abandoned farming fields or abandoned irrigation ditches).

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does not function as a regional corridor. It does function as a local (or small scale) corridor for wildlife movement within the creek and the San Bernardino Mountains. This local corridor reaches beyond the Rialto boundary to flood control channels approximately two miles southeast of Highland Avenue.

The City of Rialto will continue to protect local biological resources through careful land designation of resource areas, and by requiring development projects in proximity to wildlife corridors to incorporate mitigation measures to minimize impacts to such biological resources.

Areas Subject to Flooding
According to State law as revised in 2007 (AB 162), General Plan land use chapters must identify and cities must annually review areas that are subject to flooding, as identified by floodplain mapping by either the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Department of Water Resources (DWR).

Flooding concerns are discussed in detail in the Safety and Noise Chapter. See Exhibit 5.2, Community Exposure to Flooding, in the Safety and Noise Chapter for identification of flood hazard areas.

FEMA, through the National Flood Insurance Program, produces Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) that identify property and buildings in flood insurance risk areas. FIRMs (2008) indicate areas that are subject to 100-year and 500-year floods. The areas subject to 100-year floods are located along Lytle Creek and Cajon Wash in the northern Sphere of Influence area and the Santa Ana River in the southern portion of the City.

The State Department of Water Resources has initiated the Awareness Floodplain Mapping project, with the goal of identifying all pertinent flood hazard areas in California by 2015 for areas that are not mapped under the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, and to provide the community and residents with an additional tool for understanding potential flood hazards that are currently not mapped as a regulated floodplain. The awareness maps identify the 100-year flood hazard areas using approximate assessment procedures. As of 2010, the State Department of Water Resources had not prepared any flood studies for San Bernardino County.

Goals and Policies
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Total (f) 35,037 16,485 51,522 125,256 55,447 180,703 59,594 10,942 70,897 Land Use

FOOTHILL BOULEVARD CORRIDOR
Foothill Boulevard has been an important and vital transportation corridor through Rialto for many years. It has served as part of the historic Route 66. To create sense of place and identity unique to our community, the thematic concept for streetscape improvements will be inspired by the Rialto Bridge in Italy and will feature brick and river rock materials. The following goals and policies promote that identity and encourage new development along the corridor.

Goal 2–1: Foothill Boulevard supports economic
development and creates a strong sense of place
and identity.

Policy 2–1.1: Provide new opportunities along the Foothill Boulevard Corridor through a mix of land uses that allow mixed-use residential, retail, and community-serving commercial.

Policy 2–1.2: Incorporate the Rialto Bridge and historic Route 66 streetscape theme — including design, architecture, signage, landscaping, and other visual elements.

Policy 2–1.3: Require that properties fronting Foothill Boulevard physically connect to each other to create continual pedestrian connectivity along the corridor. Provide pedestrian-friendly amenities such as shaded walking areas, pedestrian-scale architecture, plazas, courtyards, and commercial buildings with pedestrian street entries.

Policy 2–1.4: Improve the aesthetics of Foothill Boulevard to encourage new development and revitalizing existing development and make Foothill Boulevard a distinct place, with identifying gateway treatments, that lets people know when they have entered or exited CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-47

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the City of Rialto.

RIVERSIDE AVENUE CORRIDOR
Riverside Avenue is the main roadway that connects the very northern tip of Rialto to its very southern end. At nearly 12 miles long, this roadway traverses a variety of neighborhoods and districts throughout Rialto. It provides convenient connections to major transportation routes, including the I-15, I-10, and SR-210 freeways. Riverside Avenue must be a corridor that balances economic development while respecting the residential areas and providing connections throughout Rialto.

Goal 2–2: Riverside Avenue acts as an economically
viable local service area.

Policy 2–2.1: Prevent strip commercial development and other inappropriate land uses such as industrial or logistics on Riverside Avenue. Uses such as commercial, multi-unit residential, and office would be deemed appropriate.

Policy 2–2.2: In the Downtown area, require development to enhance the corridor by framing the street with structures and minimal setbacks. Structures should include storefronts or restaurants along the ground floor. Shading for pedestrians such as arcades should be encouraged.

Policy 2–2.3: Encourage adaptive reuse of single-unit houses for office and commercial uses on Riverside Avenue to strengthen the compatibility of residential/commercial zones while preserving the small-town quality of Downtown.

Policy 2–2.4: Promote community cohesion through a mix of land uses that allow for residential, mixed use, and commercial uses.

Policy 2–2.5: Encourage accessibility of goods and services through a mix of both employment- and community-serving retail.

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VALLEY BOULEVARD CORRIDOR
As a roadway that includes frontage along the I-10 freeway, the City recognizes the value of revitalizing and attracting development that can provide sales tax revenues and employment opportunities, and takes advantage of freeway visibility.

Goal 2–3: Valley Boulevard contributes positively to
the economic vitality of the community and provides
new opportunities for employement.

Policy 2–3.1: Improve the visual characteristics of Valley Boulevard by seeking funding to invest in infrastructure, signage, design guidelines, etc. that enhance the public realm. Such investment may attract additional private sector investment, which will maintain the viability of the corridor. Establish programs that outline the timing of the installation of such infrastructure.

Policy 2–3.2: Attract new development and revitalize established commercial and industrial uses through economic development strategies. The first priority for development shall be areas within the City borders. Areas within the Sphere of Influence are a secondary priority.

Policy 2–3.3: Enforce code enforcement actions to advance maintenance of commercial and industrial properties, storage areas, landscaping, and other maintenance issues.

GATEWAY AREA
As one of the major southern gateways into the City of Rialto from the I-10 freeway, this area has the opportunity to make a great first impression on residents and visitors.

Goal 2–4: An attractive Gateway Area that highlights
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entry into Rialto from the I-10 freeway.

Policy 2–4.1: Improve the visual characteristics of the gateway area by removing overhead power lines, developing a street enhancement program for Riverside Avenue, removal of abandoned buildings, and enhanced and themed landscaping along the corridor.

Policy 2–4.2: Attract commercial businesses that will create a viable activity center with various retail stores, restaurants, and other complementary businesses to serve the local community and attract people from surrounding areas.

DOWNTOWN RIALTO
Downtown Rialto is the heart of the City and serves as the City’s central business district. One advantage Downtown has is its proximity to the Metrolink Station. The area creates an ideal setting for mixed-use and transit-oriented development near the transit stop at an intimate scale that will help re-establish Downtown as a vibrant place.

Goal 2–5: Downtown Rialto is a lively, pedestrian-
friendly district typical of a small-town downtown,
with a vibrant mix of residential, commercial, civic
uses, and transit-oriented development.

Policy 2–5.1: Provide a dynamic mix of uses to create a lively balance of activity and small-town charm that brings people together to create an exciting environment.

Policy 2–5.2: Support a complementary mix of land uses, including residential densities to support a multi-modal transit node at the rail station.

Policy 2–5.3: Provide an attractive park or plaza that provides a central location for community events and informal activities.

Policy 2–5.4: Create a Downtown that is a safe and walkable place for shoppers, visitors, residents, and employees, and that provides a CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-50

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unique environment that becomes a gathering place to shop and dine.

Policy 2–5.5: Incorporate improvements necessary to upgrade alleys to current standards, and refine their appearance, function, and safety with landscape treatment, textured paving, rear façade treatments, and parking and loading improvements.

Policy 2–5.6: Encourage a mix of retail shops and service centers to meet the needs of residents living or shopping in the Downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.

Policy 2–5.7: Expand and enhance programs to revitalize Downtown by enhancing its merchant promotions, merchandising, beautification programs, and marketing.

Policy 2–5.8: Improve the financial feasibility of projects by implementing flexible development standards and zoning specifically for the Downtown area.

Policy 2–5.9: Implement the Rialto Downtown Vision and Strategic Plan.

ANNEXATION OF SPHERE OF INFLUENCE AREAS
Goal 2–6: Expanded City boundaries through
the annexation of San Bernardino County
unincorporated areas.

Policy 2–6.1: Work with the County of San Bernardino to require that the City of Rialto’s building and zoning regulations be applied to new development within unincorporated County islands and other areas within Rialto’s Sphere of Influence.

Policy 2–6.2: Work toward the inclusion of the “islands” in northeast Rialto in the Rialto Sphere of Influence and annexation when current revenue sharing agreements end.

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Goal 2–7: Annexations that provide a positive benefit
to the City.

Policy 2–7.1: Require an approved specific plan for all new large unincorporated areas of vacant land prior to annexation into Rialto.

Policy 2–7.2: Require a fiscal impact statement for any new large, planned development to ensure that Rialto receives financial benefit from annexation.

Policy 2–7.3: Require sufficient impact fees on new planned development to assure timely construction of public facilities and provision of expanded City services.

Policy 2–7.4: Require that land be set aside for community parks and other public facilities as appropriate for any large, planned development.

NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION
Rialto has many distinct neighborhoods. Each neighborhood was developed during different periods of time, and each has a character of its own in terms of housing style, development pattern, streetscape design, and building mass and scale.

Goal 2–8: Established residential neighborhoods
with enhanced individual character.

Policy 2–8.1: Promote neighborhood identity and preservation of individual neighborhood character by preserving or creating neighborhood gateway features. This includes the Las Colinas Core Group and the North End (Pepper Avenue) Neighborhood Group.

Policy 2–8.2: Improve neighborhood housing maintenance and home improvements through grant pursuits and direct financial assistance for home rehabilitation.

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Policy 2–8.3: Require all new housing built adjacent to designated major or secondary highways to face a residential street, with driveways on the side street. Require landscaped barrier walls to preserve the privacy of residential side yards and protect them from traffic noise and pollution.

Policy 2–8.4: Discourage extreme changes in scale between adjacent structures (i.e., multi-story building walls immediately adjacent to single-unit residences). Encourage appropriate setbacks and other architectural features that provide a gradual change in scale.

INCOMPATIBLE LAND USES
Goal 2–9: Residential areas, schools, parks, and other
sensitive land uses are protected from the impacts
associated with industrial and trucking-related land
uses.

Policy 2–9.1: Require mitigation and utilize other techniques to protect residential development and other sensitive land uses near industrial land uses or within identified health risk areas from excessive noise, hazardous materials and waste releases, toxic air pollutant concentrations, and other impacts.

Policy 2–9.2: Require all industrial development to front on an improved street with appropriate front yard setbacks, landscaping, and façade and entrance treatments.

Policy 2–9.3: Focus the establishment of new industries using, manufacturing, transporting, or storing hazardous or toxic materials or wastes within the Agua Mansa Industrial Corridor Area.

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Policy 2–9.4: Encourage industrial uses to incorporate flexible commercial spaces such as retail, restaurants, and temporary vendors that can serve a broad audience.

Policy 2–9.5: Ensure that industrial land uses minimize conflict with surrounding incompatible uses through building design and truck restrictions.

Policy 2–9.6: Locate smaller buildings and less intensive uses within an industrial development site closer to adjacent residential uses, rather than large or more intensive uses.

Policy 2–9.7: Require warehousing and industrial uses to incorporate natural landscape materials (trees, shrubs, and hedges) to buffer differing land uses, and provide a transition between adjacent properties.

Policy 2–9.8: For sites with access to alleyways or other internal circulation routes, locate industrial loading docks away from public- facing streets to reduce trucking-related impacts in sensitive areas.

Policy 2–9.9: Require the inclusion of on-site truck parking and queueing for all industrial facilities located within 500 feet of residences, schools, and parks.

Policy 2–9.10: Protect residents and land intended for resident- serving retail by prohibiting warehouses in zones that allow residential uses and zones intended for neighborhood commercial uses.

Policy 2–9.11: Work with the County of San Bernardino to limit expansion of the sanitary landfills on Bohnert Avenue.

Goal 2–10: A balanced mix of land uses that provide
for convenient access to commercial, civic, and
recreational opportunities.

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Policy 2–10.1: Provide a balanced mix of land uses, increasing opportunities to access community-serving retail and commercial uses.

Policy 2–10.2: Encourage active community life and public gathering through the use of publicly accessible parks and gardens, open spaces, pathways, and plazas in large-scale development projects.

Policy 2–10.3: Allow for a range of retail, grocery, dining, and commercial service type uses within commercial and mixed use designations that will promote vibrant centers within the community.

Policy 2–10.4: Provide retail developments that are compatible with and serve the local community, and meet the overall community design goals of this General Plan.

Policy 2–10.5: Encourage community gathering by using temporary installations in public spaces. Create new recreational, entertainment and civic facilities. One example is hosting cenadurias, which are food eateries that serve primarily traditional, home-style Mexican dinner cuisine.

Community Design

PUBLIC REALM - GATEWAYS
Goal 2–11: Create distinctive gateways at all entry
points into Rialto and for individual districts or
neighborhoods.

Policy 2–11.1: Continue the use of monument signs at focal points within the community and at major and minor gateways. Establish unified entry treatments at major entries into the City.

Policy 2–11.2: Design and implement themed landscape treatments near freeway off- and on- ramps to announce entry into Rialto.

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Policy 2–11.3: Encourage new and established neighborhoods to provide ground signs and landscaping at a major street entrance to reinforce their identity.

PUBLIC REALM - STREETSCAPES
Goal 2–12: Design streetscapes in Rialto to support
and enhance the City’s image as a desirable place to
live, work, shop, and dine.

Policy 2–12.1: Require the screening of commercial or industrial parking areas, storage yards, stockpiles, and other collections of equipment from the public right-of-way.

Policy 2–12.2: Provide and maintain street trees and parkway landscaping within the public right-of-way for developed properties within Rialto. Require private development to do the same as per City design regulations.

Policy 2–12.3: Provide planted median strips, parkway planting, and turning pockets on Riverside Avenue throughout the City, and extend the landscape median wherever possible.

Policy 2–12.4: Incorporate street trees and other landscape treatments along corridors to provide sufficient shade canopy and promote pedestrian comfort.

Policy 2–12.5: Require that projects with perimeter walls (including gated residential communities) provide an interesting streetscape, with pedestrian access to major travel ways.

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PUBLIC REALM – PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT
Goal 2–13: Design new streets to be pedestrian-
friendly.

Policy 2–13.1: Require the use of attractive street furniture (benches, trash receptacles, planters, bicycle racks) in the Downtown area, along Foothill Boulevard, and other highly visible areas to communicate the City’s identity and pride.

Policy 2–13.2: Use textured paving or similar design features to define pedestrian crossings, particularly near pedestrian activity areas such as Downtown.

Policy 2–13.3: Install curb extensions (i.e., bulb out or similar enhancements) at pedestrian crossings to shorten the crossing distance required, wherever feasible. Additional pedestrian protections, including bollards and defensible space landscape treatments, should be utilized as well.

Policy 2–13.4: Enhance pedestrian walkways directly under building canopies by one or more of the following techniques: interlocking or textured paving, turf block walls, theme plantings, trees projecting through canopies, bollards and kiosks, pavilions or gazebos, and trellises and arbors planted with flowering vines.

Policy 2–13.5: Maximize potential pedestrian connections through the use of highly visible gateways, walkways, and directional signs and the installation of traffic-calming devices where appropriate.

Policy 2–13.6: Require landscape screens in new commercial developments larger than 15,000 square feet directly in front of the stores rather than leaving the façade barren. The intent of the landscape screen is to improve the scale by visually lowering the building height and mass without impeding access or identity of the buildings function.

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Policy 2–13.7: Shade bus shelters and other outdoor use areas from the sun. Commercial projects along major corridors in Rialto shall incorporate at least one bus shelter, taxi stop, bicycle rack, and/or similar transportation or pedestrian features. The design of these features shall be consistent with the identify, feel, and theme of that corridor.

PUBLIC REALM - SIGNAGE
Goal 2–14: Achieve quality aesthetic design of all
signage in the City of Rialto.

Policy 2–14.1: Prohibit the indiscriminate placement of highway directional signs, traffic signs, street identification signs, and other similar devices in any manner that creates visual blight or driver confusion.

Policy 2–14.2: Require consistent design quality and themes for directional signage along public streets.

Policy 2–14.3: Require that all ground signs incorporate landscape treatment to reduce visual height and impact from the street.

PUBLIC REALM – SCENIC VISTAS
Goal 2–15: Protect scenic vistas and scenic resources.

Policy 2–15.1: Protect views of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains by ensuring that building heights are consistent with the scale of surrounding, existing development.

Policy 2–15.2: Protect views of the La Loma Hills, Jurupa Hills, Box Spring Mountains, Moreno Valley, and Riverside by ensuring that building heights are consistent with the scale of surrounding, existing development.

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Policy 2–15.3: Ensure use of building materials that do not produce glare, such as polished metals or reflective windows.

PUBLIC REALM – PUBLIC ART
Goal 2–16: Establish a public art program that
engages the public and enriches the pedestrian
experience.

Policy 2–16.1: Encourage the incorporation of public art into large- scale development projects.

Policy 2–16.2: Identify suitable sites throughout the community that would benefit from the inclusion of public art.

Policy 2–16.3: Encourage the creation of art pieces that represent the agricultural history of the community, family-first values, and vision for the future.

PRIVATE REALM
Goal 2–17: Improve the architectural and design
quality of development in Rialto.

Policy 2–17.1: Require new development and construction to exhibit a high level of quality architectural design to emphasize community uniqueness, individuality, and historical references.

Policy 2–17.2: Require architectural identity for individual commercial corridors, while also encouraging a variety of architectural features to create visual interest and pedestrian scale.

Policy 2–17.3: Discourage architectural monotony.

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Policy 2–17.4: Discourage the design of boxy structures; emphasize articulation of the front façade and the horizontal plane with multi- story structures.

Policy 2–17.5: Require developers to vary building and parking setbacks along the streetscape to create visual interest.

Policy 2–17.6: Require architectural treatments on all façades facing rights-of-way, public streets, and alleys, including windows, doors, architectural details, and landscape treatment.

Goal 2–18: Provide high-quality and environmentally
sustainable landscaping.

Policy 2–18.1: Require the planting of street trees along public streets and inclusion of trees and landscaping for private developments to improve airshed, minimize urban heat island effect, and lessen impacts of high winds.

Policy 2–18.2: Require all new development to incorporate tree plantings dense enough to shade and beautify residential and commercial areas.

Policy 2–18.3: Require the use of drought-tolerant, native landscaping and smart irrigation systems for new development to lower overall water usage.

Goal 2–19: Protect Rialto’s small-town community
character while accommodating growth.

Policy 2–19.1: Require all new development and renovations within residential neighborhoods to be consistent with the existing scale, massing, and landscaping of that neighborhood.

Policy 2–19.2: Protect, to the extent feasible, the natural character of CITY OF RIALTO CHAPTER 2 2-60

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the areas bordering or in close proximity to the Santa Ana River and Lytle Creek.

RESIDENTIAL DESIGN
Goal 2–20: Encourage neighborhood preservation,
stabilization, and property maintenance.

Policy 2–20.1: Require that new construction, additions, renovations, and infill developments be sensitive to neighborhood context and building form and scale.

Policy 2–20.2: Encourage property maintenance by requiring new development to submit precise plans of design to maintain landscape areas that incorporate property maintenance standards from the City’s property maintenance ordinance.

Policy 2–20.3: Continue the graffiti suppression and removal program and expand outreach programs that encourage neighborhoods to take an active role in the program as well.

Policy 2–20.4: Enforce and carry out code enforcement actions to advance proper maintenance of residential properties.

Policy 2–20.5: Integrate residential developments with their built surroundings and encourage a strong relationship between dwelling and the street.

Policy 2–20.6: Communicate the single-unit residential function of a building by encouraging the design of visually appealing residential dwellings that feature varied facades and pleasing compositions.

Goal 2–21: Require high-quality multi-unit design,
landscaping, and architecture.

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Policy 2–21.1: Require multi-unit buildings design to be visually and architecturally pleasing by varying the height, color, setback, materials, texture, landscaping, trim and roof shape.

Policy 2–21.2: Do not allow box-like forms with large, unvaried roofs by using a variety of building forms and roof shapes by creating clusters of units, variations in height, setback, and roof shape.

Policy 2–21.3: Require use of porches, stairs, railings, fascia boards, and trim to enhance multi-unit buildings’ character.

Policy 2–21.4: Provide for multi-unit buildings to relate to the street and be located to reinforce street frontages.

Policy 2–21.5: Emphasize private, ground-level entries to individual units so that primary building entries are prominent and visible.

Policy 2–21.6: Require pedestrian accessibility to adjacent uses with paseos, gates, pedestrian walkways, crossings, and sidewalks.

Policy 2–21.7: Require parking lots to be located at the rear or side of a site to allow a majority of dwelling units to front on the street.

Policy 2–21.8: Encourage that each unit have some form of useful private open space, such as a patio, porch, deck, balcony, yard, or shared entry porches or balconies.

PLANNED DEVELOPMENT
Goal 2–22: Ensure high-quality planned
developments in Rialto.

Policy 2–22.1: Require the provision of landscape buffers, walls, additional setbacks, and landscaped parking lots as buffers between commercial and/or industrial uses and residential land uses.

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Policy 2–22.2: Require that the layout of units and/or buildings be staggered to maximize visual interest and individual identity.

Policy 2–22.3: Discourage rectangular building footprints that lack visual interest or articulation along street frontages and encourage the arrangement of structures on the site to allow for adequate screening of parking and loading areas as well as alleys on all industrial and commercial sites.

Policy 2–22.4: Encourage creative site planning, making use of patio homes, zero lot line units, planned unit “cluster” development, attached townhouse products, and auto courts.

Policy 2–22.5: Encourage the clustering of residential units which provide semi-private common areas, maximize views, and provide passive open space and recreation uses within multi-unit developments.

Policy 2–22.6: Encourage developments to incorporate meandering greenbelts into subdivision projects, particularly along trails, collector streets, secondary streets, and major highways, protected environmental areas, or other special features. Bicycle and pedestrian trails should be connected with similar features in neighboring projects so that upon completion newer neighborhoods will be linked at the pedestrian level.

Policy 2–22.7: Require parkways to be placed on the outside of the public sidewalk immediately adjoining the curb to provide shade for pedestrians and provide a canopy of trees to be either uniformly spaced or informally grouped.

Policy 2–22.8: Require that new residential subdivisions adjacent to secondary or major highways be oriented inward and provided with buffers to reduce exposure to traffic and noise.

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COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DESIGN
Goal 2–23: Promote commercial and/or industrial
development that is well designed, people-oriented,
environmentally sustainable, sensitive to the needs
of the visitor or resident, and functionally efficient
for its purpose.

Policy 2–23.1: Require that developments incorporate varied planes and textures and variety in window and door treatments on building façades.

Policy 2–23.2: Encourage architecture which disaggregates massive buildings into smaller parts with greater human scale.

Policy 2–23.3: Require that landscape plantings be incorporated into commercial and industrial projects to define and emphasize entrances, inclusive of those areas along the front of a building facing a parking lot.

Policy 2–23.4: Require all major commercial developments to incorporate theme elements to create a distinct identity, foster individuality, and provide gathering opportunities.

Policy 2–23.5: Require developments to provide pedestrian and vehicle connections and pathways between parking lots at the rear and front of buildings.

Policy 2–23.6: Require delivery areas to be separated from pedestrian areas.

Policy 2–23.7: Require outdoor storage areas, where permitted, to be completely screened from public view.

Policy 2–23.8: Insist that full architectural treatments and details be provided on all facades visible to the street of development projects.

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PARKING LOT DESIGN
Goal 2–24: Minimize the visual impact of parking lots.

Policy 2–24.1: Require mature trees and landscaping in off-street parking areas to make them more inviting and aesthetically appealing, and to provide sufficient shading to reduce heat.

Policy 2–24.2: Encourage the inclusion of textured paving along pedestrian walkways and under building canopies.

Policy 2–24.3: Require use of drainage improvements designed, with native vegetation where possible, to retain or detain water runoff and minimize pollutants into drainage system.

Open Space and Recreation

OPEN SPACE
Goal 2–25: Take advantage of opportunities to
increase and enhance open spaces throughout
Rialto.

Policy 2–25.1: Identify and explore opportunities for acquisition of land in the Lytle Creek floodplain and fault-impacted areas for use as open space, parkland, or recreational areas.

Policy 2–25.2: Landscape the areas surrounding the Cactus Basin recreation fields, water reservoirs, and publicly owned facilities to increase opportunities for low-intensity, passive recreation open spaces and to improve aesthetics.

Goal 2–26: Maximize public benefits in the
reclamation of mineral extraction and sanitary
landfill areas.

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Policy 2–26.1: Link new open space and park sites in reclaimed mining areas with bicycle trails integrated into the City’s recreational trails system.

Policy 2–26.2: Work with the County of San Bernardino to define the final limits of the Mid-County Landfill and to plan for reclamation of the site with open space and recreation amenities appropriate to the site.

Goal 2–27: Maximize open spaces in urban areas.

Policy 2–27.1: Require that private open space be integrated into new development by providing green spaces and landscaped plazas between buildings.

Policy 2–27.2: Enhance street corridors by incorporating small green areas, extensive landscaping, and street trees.

Policy 2–27.3: Explore opportunities to create pocket parks within urbanized areas for public and/or private use.

RECREATION
Goal 2–28: Provide a variety of park facilities
that meet the diverse needs and interest of the
community.

Policy 2–28.1: Establish a Master Plan for Parks and Recreation that achieves a park ratio of 3.0 acres per 1,000 residents, evenly distributes park facilities throughout the community, and contains strategies for funding facilities and maintenance.

Policy 2–28.2: Plan for and designate adequate funding to maintain new and existing parks and facilities.

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Policy 2–28.3: Work with the Rialto Unified School District to provide joint-use facilities in areas where park and recreation facility deficits exist. Mitigate issues associated with school open space, such as vandalism, wear and tear, maintenance, and school expansion.

Conservation

WATER RESOURCES
Goal 2–29: Protect and enhance Rialto’s surface
waters and groundwater basins.

Policy 2–29.1: Work with local water agencies and the State and Federal governments to clean up and mitigate perchlorate contamination within the basin.

Policy 2–29.2: Maximize recharge of local groundwater basins by minimizing impervious surfaces and protecting open space recharge areas.

Policy 2–29.3: Design sidewalks, roads, and driveways to minimize impervious surfaces; provide flood control channels with permeable bottoms to help restore groundwater aquifers.

Policy 2–29.4: Prohibit the use of septic tanks, and where necessary, assist in the financing of sewer connections and hookups.

Policy 2–29.5: Apply methodologies and assign responsibility to protect the quality of groundwater from pollution by landfills and industrial uses.

Policy 2–29.6: Improve surface drainage facilities and continue tertiary sewage treatment to protect the Santa Ana River watershed as a potable water source.

Policy 2–29.7: Continue to maintain Lytle Creek as a water source.

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Policy 2–29.8: Reduce spreading of high nitrate fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals in City landscaping that can contaminate groundwater; encourage the public to reduce the use of chemicals in maintenance of landscaping.

Goal 2–30: Conserve water resources.

Policy 2–30.1: Require new development to use features, equipment, technology, landscaping, and other methods to reduce water consumption.

Policy 2–30.2: Use reclaimed water as available for irrigation of City parks, median strips, and other public areas, and encourage its use in industrial applications, large turf and expansive landscaped areas, golf courses, mining, and other uses where potable quality of water is not necessary to its application.

Policy 2–30.3: Educate the community about the importance of water conserving techniques and avoiding wasteful water habits.

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PRACTICES AND ENERGY CONSERVATION
Goal 2–31: Incorporate green building and other
sustainable building practices into development
projects.

Policy 2–31.1: Explore and adopt the use of green building standards and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or similar in both private and public projects.

Policy 2–31.2: Promote sustainable building practices that go beyond the requirements of Title 24 of the California Administrative Code, and encourage energy-efficient design elements, as appropriate.

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Policy 2–31.3: Support sustainable building practices that integrate building materials and methods that promote environmental quality, economic vitality, and social benefit through the design, construction, and operation of the built environment.

Goal 2–32: Conserve energy resources.

Policy 2–32.1: Require the incorporation of energy conservation features into the design of all new construction and site development activities.

Policy 2–32.2: Provide incentives for the installation of energy conservation measures in existing multi-unit residential and commercial developments, including technical assistance and possibly low-interest loans.

Policy 2–32.3: Educate the public regarding the need for energy conservation techniques which can be employed and systems which are available.

MINERAL RESOURCES
Goal 2–33: Balance the provisions of the California
Surface Mining and Reclamation Act with City
objectives to minimize negative impacts of mining
activities on the Rialto community.

Policy 2–33.1: Allow the phasing of planned land uses on large mineral resource sites on that part of the site on which mining is not anticipated, or on that part of the site which mining is completed and reclamation has been established.

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Policy 2–33.2: Permit plant nurseries, recreational open space, and other temporary uses in State-designated mineral resource sectors prior to and pending their development for mineral extraction.

Policy 2–33.3: Establish permitted routes through the City for use by trucks picking up or hauling mined materials and require suitable load containment devices on all trucks hauling mined materials.

Policy 2–33.4: Establish buffer zones of compatible uses adjacent to mineral extraction areas. Such uses may include industry. Require planting or other visual buffers to screen mining machines, stockpiles, vehicles, and other mining related facilities from visible residential areas.

Policy 2–33.5: Require that access roads to resource extraction areas meet standards for noise, dust control, erosion control and grading to minimize adverse impacts to adjacent uses.

Policy 2–33.6: Apply noise reduction requirements for mining activity affecting adjacent noise-sensitive areas.

Goal 2–34: Require appropriate reclamation of
mineral resource extraction areas.

Policy 2–34.1: Require that permits for mineral reclamation projects specify compliance with State, Federal, and local standards and attainment programs with respect to air quality; protection of rare, threatened or endangered species; conservation of water quality, watersheds, and basins, and erosion protection.

Policy 2–34.2: Require bonded assurance of implementation of a City-approved reclamation plan prior to issuing approvals for surface mining in the City.

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MANAGING OUR LAND SUPPLY

RECYCLING
Goal 2–35: Achieve waste recycling levels that meet
or exceed State mandates. Achieve maximum
waste recycling in all sectors of the community:
residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and construction.

Policy 2–35.1: Develop programs that promote reuse and recycling throughout the community.

Policy 2–35.2: Utilize source reduction, recycling, and other appropriate measures to reduce the amount of solid waste generated in Rialto that is disposed of in landfills.

Policy 2–35.3: Encourage the maximum diversion from landfills of construction and demolition materials through recycling and reuse programs.

AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE
Goal 2–36: Reduce air pollution emissions from both
mobile and stationary sources in the City.

Policy 2–36.1: Replace Rialto’s vehicle fleet with low-emission, economically sensible vehicles.

Policy 2–36.2: Require that new development projects incorporate design features that encourage ridesharing, transit use, park and ride facilities, and bicycle and pedestrian circulation.

Policy 2–36.3: Establish a balanced land use pattern and facilitate developments that provide jobs for City residents in order to reduce vehicle trips citywide.

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Policy 2–36.4: Require new development and significant
redevelopment proposals to incorporate sufficient design and operational controls to prevent release of noxious odors beyond the limits of the development site.

Goal 2–37: Reduce the amount of fugitive dust
released into the atmosphere.

Policy 2–37.1: Put conditions on discretionary permits to require fugitive dust controls.

Policy 2–37.2: Support programs and policies of the South Coast Air Quality Management District regarding restrictions on grading operations at construction projects.

Policy 2–37.3: Enforce regulations that do not allow vehicles to transport aggregate or similar material upon a roadway unless the material is stabilized or covered.

Goal 2–38: Expand public awareness regarding air
pollution sources and pollutant reduction initiatives.

Policy 2–38.1: Encourage and publicly recognize innovative approaches that improve air quality.

Policy 2–38.2: Encourage the participation of environmental groups, the business community, civic groups, special interest groups, and the general public in the formulation and implementation of programs that effectively reduce air pollution.

Policy 2–38.3: Provide public education to encourage local consumers to choose the cleanest paints and other non-pollutant consumer products.

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Goal 2–39: Mitigate against climate change.

Policy 2–39.1: Consult with State agencies, SCAG, and the San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) to implement AB32 and SB375 by utilizing incentives to facilitate infill and transit-oriented development.

Policy 2–39.2: Encourage development of transit-oriented and infill development and encourage a mix of uses that foster walking and alternative transportation in Downtown and along Foothill Boulevard.

Policy 2–39.3: Provide enhanced bicycling and walking infrastructure, and support public transit, including public bus service, the Metrolink, and the potential for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

Policy 2–39.4: Participate in the San Bernardino Regional Greenhouse Inventory and Reduction Plan.

BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Goal 2–40: Conserve and enhance Rialto’s biological
resources.

Policy 2–40.1: Protect endangered, threatened, rare, and other special status habitat and wildlife species within and along Lytle Creek by working with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game to establish Natural Community Conservation Plans, Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP), or other established biological resource protection mechanisms within this sensitive area.

Policy 2–40.2: Pursue open space, wildlife corridors, or conservation easements to protect sensitive species and their habitats.

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MANAGING OUR LAND SUPPLY
Policy 2–40.3: Continue to work with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to adopt a habitat conservation plan to protect viability of the Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly. Until a habitat conservation plan is established, continue to support the implementation of the existing Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly Recovery Plan.